Poonam Yadav was instrumental in India's victory over Australia in their opening game of the Women's T20 World Cup. She took 4/19 to help us defeat the hosts and also the defending champions. It was her scalps that got Australia into a spot of bother and they never recovered after that.?
Her flight, guile, turn and bowling style was poetry in motion and the way she made the ball skid off the surface showed us how much control she had. She nearly got a hat-trick after taking 2 wickets in 2 balls but the keeper dropped the catch. Nonetheless her 4 victims saw Australia slide from 67/2 to 82/6. Eventually they ended 18 runs short of their target.?
For those of us who grew up watching the game in the 1990s, her style of bowling is a reminder of when Shane Warne and Anil Kumble were in their prime. That's right, two of the greatest spinners the world has ever seen, looked to be morphed when one saw Poonam run in, deliver the ball and take a wicket. She has the flight and guile of Kumble and possesses the stride and turn of Warne. She packs a punch with both their skills and that makes her stand out.
If India want to go the distance and win their first title, then Poonam will have a role to play. She gets good purchase of the wicket even if its unresponsive. Something similar to what Warne did. While Kumble was not a big turner of the ball, he did have variations which one can spot in Poonam's bowling. She can bowl six different balls in an over or the same delivery again and again as and when the situation demands.?
Poonam was part of the side that lost the 2017 Women's World Cup final to England. In this format she hopes to do one better and if she continues the form she is in, nothing will stop her.?
As far as Warne and Kumble are concerned, they will surely see a shadow of themselves when this lady is bowling.
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